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TEXT Vol. 05 Jean’s Textbook

He’d gotten rid of as many of his belongings as possible when he joined the Survey Corps. There was no point in bringing anything like his jumbled collection of notes, and anything he did need he could buy or be issued. There was one item, however, that he kept in his bags because he’d need them to review the basics when understanding an operation.

“…My textbooks, huh. I guess I did leave them here.”

It had been some time since Jean last returned to his quarters. When he opened his bags in the personal space he’d been assigned, something moved him to pull the books out.

••••••

Around the time the old regime had been overthrown and Jean had met up with the main unit of the army…

Jean had been acting separately from the rest of the Survey Corps as a member of the “new Team Levi,” keeping him away from the main unit for some time. His bags had been haphazardly tidied up, just like those belonging to the rest of his squad. Now that much had been settled and he had returned, he needed to prepare next for the new operation to retake Wall Maria. When he unfastened his bag, he found a number of textbooks he’d used during his time in the Training Corps.

“I can’t believe I kept these …”

Even though he’d joined the Survey Corps and found himself in an ever-changing situation, he couldn’t allow himself to be negligent when it came to reviewing his fundamentals… And so he’d brought these books upon someone’s recommendation.

“A Guide to Marching Drills… What does this say about nighttime movement on horseback, again?”

One of these volumes seemed to be exactly the reference material he needed for the upcoming operation, and he casually began flipping through its pages.

••••••

[Seems like this appears on exams a lot.]

“…What’s this?”

The first handwritten words to jump out at him were not his own. These were marks left behind during a group study session for a written exam in his Training Corps days. Jean remembered sitting in the center of everyone, having placed his own textbook in the middle of the desk for them all to see and at times write in as they discussed this and that.

Jean couldn’t remember who the rushed cursive belonged to at first, but his memories of that day gradually began to return to him.

(Armin? No… If it was the person right next to me… I guess it’d be Marco.)

The words were written right-side-up on one side of the book. They’d been penned by someone reaching in from the side.

He shook his head at the memory of his close and now departed friend as he turned the page to find other writings.

••••••

“What’s this one say…?”

Jean couldn’t read the upside-down letters at first. He turned the book around, then gasped.

[Horses can move in other unpredictable ways. Be careful]

[—>Finger whistling, page 54]

The thick and powerful words of caution belonged to Reiner.

The thin and weak words that pinpointed Jean’s weaknesses and noted where he needed to read belonged to Bertolt.

Back then… they were comrades he learned alongside. In fact, it had been Reiner who suggested that he hold onto his textbooks. He had said that while Jean was talented, he had a tendency to rely on the fact. That’s why he needed to hold onto books that would let him go back to basics.

“…He really could see what’s most important.”

The contents of this textbook would have to be solidly in the minds of the two who were now on the “other side.” They would also know how the Corps would move by horseback according to it, too.

In other words… such was the opponent that now awaited them.

“The last ones I wanted to have to face went and became our enemies.”

…So this is what they meant when they said the world is a cruel place.

Jean quietly closed the book and placed it deep within his bags, as if to seal away the memories of the time he spent with the two.

••••••

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories 3

TRANSLATION: Ko Ransom

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Late Night Stories Vol. 05 Reiner Braun A Story of Absent-Mindedness

“…You know it’s your turn today, Reiner.”

The recruits were busy training, marching through the night. They dragged their heavy feet, weary from the afternoon, as they carried torches in their hands.

“My turn for what?”

“…Remember when we pulled an all-nighter studying the other day?” Bertolt said next to him, causing Reiner to remember.

“Oh. To tell a story to keep everyone awake?”

“I’m begging you to… I feel like my feet are about to stop. I won’t fall behind if it’s an interesting story. I’d need to be in the group to hear it, after all,” Armin said, looking up at Reiner as he staggered back and forth, just barely keeping up.

“Okay. In that case… I’ll tell you a story from the other day.”

••••••

A few days earlier, Reiner was training with a group outside, when they were caught by a heavy evening squall. Of course, rain was no reason to stop a training exercise. If the soldiers didn’t have any rain gear, that just meant a drenched uniform. Their one saving grace was that they would be heading back to the barracks immediately afterwards.

“…Once all of you guys got back, the first thing you had to do was dry your clothes and wash off any mud with well water, right?” “ But you were squad leader then, Reiner, so you had to go and give a report before that,” Armin continued. Reiner nodded while a shiver ran through his body, as if he was remembering how cold he was that day.

“I finally gave my report to the instructor and went back to the well, then took off my shirt to start wiping off my body, but just as I did…”

••••••

“Aahh?!”

Reiner turned to face the shrieks and saw two female Training Corps recruits, Mina and Krista, passing by. Thinking that they must have been shocked to see him shirtless, he turned his back to them in a panic and apologized.

“S-Sorry. I’ll be done fast, so, just a minute…”

“N-No, we’re sorry, too! Don’t worry, you can finish up!”

“Really? Okay, then…”

Reiner paid no mind to the girls as they watched him wring his shirt with his exposed, muscular body, before starting to wipe it clean…

“Hey, Reiner? Um… Can we ask you a favor?”

“…And then the girls asked if they could touch my abs. It’s not like it would hurt anyone to say yes, so I let them, and…they said things like, ‘Wow, it’s really a six pack!’ or “What do you do to work out?’”

The girls didn’t hold back as they put their hands all over him.

“Heh! You’ve got a pretty solid chest, Reiner.”

“Wait, Ymir…! Hey, both of you!”

Ymir’s teasing stirred the girls on, as they started to touch not only his abs but also his chest, arms, and back. Reiner sighed at what a mess the situation had become.

“That…was surprising.”

“Wh-What did you just say happened…? Really? I’m so jealous of you!!”

While the situation could be seen as fortunate depending on one’s point of view, Reiner spoke of it as if it were a complete mystery to him. Jean, who was next to Reiner, impulsively threw his torch to the ground.

“Oh! Well, Mikasa wasn’t there, you know!” Reiner said.

“That’s not the problem here!!” Jean replied through clenched teeth. Marco tried to calm Jean while picking up his torch.

“Why don’t you try working out until you have a body like Reiner’s?”

“O-Oh, so I just have to keep working out…”

“I wouldn’t if I were you,” a smiling Armin said as he listened in on the conversation, shutting Jean down completely. “Vertical Maneuvering is your specialty. If you put on any more muscle, you wouldn’t be able to use your skills as well.”

“T-True, balance is important… Wait, don’t tell me that right now, Armin! Can’t you leave me the smallest bit of hope to cling onto?!”

This made Reiner notice that Armin, who tended to lag behind, was still in proper formation with the rest of the squad. He saw that everyone else was there, too and was satisfied to know that he had accomplished something by telling his story.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories 2

TRANSLATION: Ko Ransom

READ ALSO: Late Night Stories Vol. 03 Krista Lenz : A Heart-Pounding Story

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Late Night Stories Vol. 03 Krista Lenz : A Heart-Pounding Story

“Nngh… Meaaaat… Breaaad… Mrrgh.”

“Wake up, potato girl! Your textbook is covered in drool!”

Whack! The dull sound of someone’s head being struck filled the room. It was late at night, but the girls barracks still glowed bright.

“Hey, whose idea was it again to copy the boys and pull an all-nighter?!”

“You, too, Ymir. Calm down…”

“Then do you want to give up and go to sleep, Krista? You know this test about the history and construction of the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment is ridiculously hard, right? And it’s even going to be counted in our overall marks!”

“Ugh… I won’t sleep. I’ll study.”

“L-Let us join, too!”

Mina and Hannah, two other recruits, gathered around the trio sitting around the table. Unable to sit there and watch everyone desperately try to rub the drowsiness out of their eyes any longer. Ymir crossed her arms and made a suggestion.

“Now that I think of it, the boys said they had someone tell a story to wake them up. Hey, Krista. Give us a story.”

“Whaat?!”

••••••

Now that she had been put on the spot, Krista looked around at everyone, flustered.

“B-But, what should I talk about…?”

“Oh, I want to hear a story about a time when someone made your heart race, Krista!”

Hannah’s proposal put a glimmer in all the girls’ eyes, aside from Krista’s. She looked skeptical, like she didn’t even understand what was being said.

“But…”

“It doesn’t have to be anything special. For example, a time you saw someone as a good person because of something unexpected they did. You know, that kind of thing!”

The girls all agreed as they looked on expectantly. Krista thought, and then she suddenly clapped.

“Oh! Then what about this?”

••••••

It happened during a training exercise meant to take place in a scenario where the recruits had to plan an escape with multiple horses from a Titan-filled area. Notifying the people of danger and evacuating them on horses during emergencies was an important part of a soldier’s duties.

At the time, Krista was in a team with Ymir and Sasha.

“The pack of horses meant for the citizens has made it to the Forest of Giant Trees!”

“I’ll use Vertical Maneuvering to be on watch! Sasha, you protect the rear!”

“Alright!”

As Krista led the horses from the front, she was concerned about Ymir overhead. Because there would be sudden Titan appearances during the training, log traps meant to recreate a Titan’s long, outstretched limbs had been placed in their way, as well as dummy Titans meant to obstruct them.

“In front!”

A dummy Titan appeared from nowhere in front of Krista. She immediately put her horse on a detour and made sure the pack had changed directions before using Vertical Maneuvering to leap into the air herself. But then—

“Guh?!”

“Ymir!!”

Now a log trap had appeared, this time in front of Ymir—

“HIYAAAAA!”

••••••

“…And that’s how Sasha saved us!”

“Yeah, that was pretty surprising.”

Though Sasha should have been in the back, she used her Vertical Maneuvering Equipment to appear in the very front, where she used both her legs to land a kick on the log, changing its direction. Thanks to her, Ymir avoided taking a direct hit while Krista was able to focus on destroying the dummy Titan, allowing training to come to a safe end.

“That was cool.”

“I’m sure it was just her intuition, but she did save us.”

Sasha had already fallen sound asleep while the story was being told, and Ymir forced a smile as she gently poked her head.

…But Mina and Hannah looked unamused, as though they had been deceived.

“Um… That’s not what we meant…”

“We wanted to hear a story about…well, a different kind of person, I guess…”

“What, that wasn’t good enough for you?”

“No…it did help us wake up, but…”

The disappointed recruits suddenly realized something. Couldn’t the trio’s trust in one another and their close teamwork be the cause of their high marks?

“…I guess that means we should be more serious about training, too, instead of just trying to hear about silly love stories.”

“Hmm? Mrrgh…”

“…It is plain annoying that the hero of that story is out cold right now, though.”

And so, the night marched quietly on in the girls barracks.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories 2

TRANSLATION: Ko Ransom

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Shelter from the Rain Vol. 08 Reiner Braun & Marco Bott

Reiner had expected the day's practice march to be a mess. The day had come for the training exercise where they were to split into squads and travel a predetermined distance down various kinds of terrain, and it had been pouring rain all morning.

"Well… Just like I thought, then."

Reiner pushed through the sloshing mud to invite his squad's members into an abandoned house where they could take shelter from the rain.

"Wait, Reiner?!"

"…Oh, Marco!"

******

"This exercise is supposed to be squad against squad. It's not much of a competition if we're resting in the same place."

"You just chose the shortest and least difficult route, too, right? So we can't help it if we end up taking break at the same spot, Reiner."

The two leaders let their squads rest as they built a fire.

"If you made the decision to come here first, then that must make you the one more cut out to be a commanding officer," Reiner said.

"No, we just got here, too. You're doing just as well as me. And…" Marco continued as he tossed in more firewood, "It's not like you're resting in order to earn points either, are you?"

"Hm?"

"Our squadmates have to be getting tired after travelling through this rain. You decided to take a break out of consideration for them. Am I wrong?"

"No… That is true, but…"

Reiner could feel his vision wavering the slightest bit as he stared into the shimmering flames.

I'm…being considerate to people?

Reiner grew silent as he cast his eyes downward. The feeling that he was forgetting something refused to leave his mind.

******

"Reiner?" Marco said, looking concerned. Reiner fired back in order to keep up appearances.

"But not anyone would say that kind of thing, Marco. I think that shows you're a leader who really knows how to think of his team."

"But… I'm not strong like you, Reiner. That's why I always tend to sacrifice myself whenever I lead… I don't think that's a good trait." Marco opened up his rain gear to show Reiner his white pants, soaked up to the thigh with muddy water. "I didn't want to have to use any of my squad members as sacrifices when we crossed the river. I decided it would be best for me to get in first and figure out how deep it was, and that's when I slipped."

"C'mon… What're you doing? You know that you're going to end up as prime Titan food if you're too kind."

"Yeah…" Marco slumped his shoulders. "I think I'd be able to pull everyone forward if I was strong like you, Reiner. I admire you."

He…admires me…?

Reiner was gripped by the strange sensation once more.

For whatever reason, something about these pure feelings of respect and trust made him feel a deep sense of guilt.

******

"Come over here by the fire, everyone! Reiner's squad, too!"

Reiner snapped back to his senses when he heard Marco calling out to the others.

"That's right, you guys! Don't let yourselves get cold! We're gonna push once we get back out there so that we don't let them beat us!"

"Oh yeah? Well, we don't have any intention of losing, either!"

Marco's unaffected smile sent another prick into Reiner's chest.

"Hah! I'll show you who the better soldier is!" Reiner wiped away his feelings by saying the words, causing his mind to change gears.

That's right. I'm a soldier. Being trusted is part of that.

As the team's trusting eyes all rested on Reiner, the odd fraying in his heart grew indistinct, like the mud and leaves in the rain dissolving as they were washed away.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

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Shelter from the Rain Vol. 02 Jean Kirstein & Bertolt Hoover

The heavy rain flowed down the side of the mountain, turning into a river that ran through the gaps of its rocks.

"Ugh…It's pouring like crazy because of that ridiculous pose you struck in your sleep this morning, Bertolt," Jean said.

The two recruits were squatting under a rock on high ground that jutted out halfway up the cliff, taking shelter from the rain.

"…Sorry, Jean."

"Bertolt, that was obviously a joke!"

******

"…Either way, I can barely see a thing."

"I think it's the correct decision to take a short break in this weather during a practice march."

Bertolt focused on resting his body as he sat further under the rock, where the rain couldn't reach him, with his arms hugging his legs.

"You're right," Jean said, sitting down next to him after walking over. He prodded Bertolt, as if to tease him.

"I thought I got stuck with a real quiet, boring partner at first, but you're a talented one. I can trust you."

Bertolt could only return Jean's backhanded praise with a troubled smile.

******

The downpour showed no signs of letting up.

"Ah… Hey, Bertolt. You wanted to join the MPs, too, right? Yeah, we won't ever have to shiver in the rain on some mountain like this if we make it to the Interior," Jean cracked, unable to stand the silence for any longer.

"…I wonder if it's okay for someone like me to go to the Interior," Bertolt muttered back.

"Hunh?! You're more than qualified with those marks of yours! You're higher in rank than me and you still don't have any confidence?!"

Bertolt only held his arms tighter around his legs as he shook his head.

"I don't have a will of my own. Wanting to become an MP…even that's something I fell into because of everyone else."

"That's just how it is," Jean sighed. "There are some model soldier out there like Marco, but other than them… It's human nature to want to live the kind of nice, safe life that MPs live. What's wrong with falling into that? Not to mention that it's something you'll be getting thanks to your own abilities. You ought to be more proud."

Jean trying to encourage me. He sees me as a friend…

******

A bit of time passed before Bertolt looked up and stood. He approached the small waterfall flowing from the rock above them and looked down.

Am I…worthy of someone's trust?

As if it reflected his own complex emotions, the frothing puddle underfoot was mixed with mud and leaves, swirling before running down to lower ground.

"Sorry… Thanks, Jean," he said, almost straining to get the words out. They were heartfelt words of thanks as well as an apology, but Jean didn't know what he truly meant.

"Hunh? I didn't say anything worth your thanks. Anyway, how's the weather look?"

"I think we can go. It's only drizzle now."

"Let's go through the forest. Our anchors won't be stable on the cliff now that its foundation is weak."

Bertolt smiled at Jean's coolheaded analysis.

"I see why everyone says you're good with the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment, Jean."

The two nodded to each other and pulled out the grips to their Equipment in unison. A moment later, the two boys' rain gear fluttered in the air as they flew off into the forest, still hazy from the showers.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

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Shelter from the Rain Vol. 04 Armin Arlert & Connie Springer

"Over here, Connie!"

The clouds covering town from the early afternoon had grown heavy and grey before erupting at last into a sudden downpour. The two young boys Shopping in the market ran for shelter under a building they found in a back alley.

******

"Hey, Armin. This should clear up soon, right?"

"Yeah… The clouds are moving fast."

Armin pointed to the sky, where the rain clouds drifted by. But next to him, Connie was looking at something else.

"Look at those little brats."

"…They seem energetic."

The two could hear the children's cries of joy as they innocently romped around in the unexpected rain.

"…That must be nice."

Armin and Connie looked at each other after the words came out of both of their mouths simultaneously.

"…Why did you say that?"

"Well, why did you?"

"Um, I…" Armin said, looking aside as the rain beat down on the roofing. "…I wasn't the kind of kid who played with everyone else. That's why."

******

Armin was called a heretic when he was little. He had an interest in what was past the Walls, and when he tried to explain why to the children in his town, he was shunned and bullied by them.

Connie looked utterly surprised to hear this story from Armin's past.

"…I was sure you were popular 'cause of how smart you are."

"What about you, Connie?"

"I got teased in my village, too, for being stupid and little." Connie scratched under his nose and looked at the children. "And I really am stupid. They even left me in the woods outside my village, thinking that I wouldn't be able to find my way back."

"Did you?"

"…I couldn't. Right as they did, it started to rain out of nowhere, just like today… I got lost, and I was drenched. I started crying."

As the rain got stronger, the playing children began to take shelter under a roof.

"…My mom came to get me in the end. I'm ashamed to say it, but…"

"Me, too… It was the same for me," Armin said. He saw the children gathering together to care for one of their friends who had gotten cold. "It was a rainy day…and I couldn't move because I'd been punched. But then Eren and Mikasa came to get me and we all went home together under the same umbrella. I felt so ashamed then, but…"

Armin looked up.

"Now that I think of it, that was them proving to me that they were my friends. I'm glad I didn't try to turn down their help."

"Oh. So I should have thought of it as my mom showing that she cared about me, huh."

"Yeah… Probably," Armin nodded, before looking to the sky. The heavy clouds rolled away, reflected in his eyes.

*****

"Why don't we go? It looks like it's about to stop raining."

"…Heh."

"What is it?" Armin asked, looking back at Connie's laughter with a puzzled expression.

"To tell you the truth, it's because I thought you and I didn't have anything in common. I couldn't help but laugh."

"…When you put it like that, yeah." Armin chuckled back.

As the rain passed, the glowing evening dried the pavement as it illuminated the two boys running back into town.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

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Good Night, Dear and Sweet Dreams Vol. 01 Sasha Blouse Part 1

The recruits' quarters at dawn.

A girl mumbled and groaned.

"Nngh… Want to eat… Eaaat…"

"Shut it already, potato girl!"

It was Sasha talking in her sleep. As Ymir leapt out of bed to hurl curses at her, Krista, who had also been awoken, tugged on Ymir's sleeves.

"You'll wake her up!"

"That's what I want to do, stupid! Wake her up and shut her mouth!"

Ymir brushed aside the girl trying to hold her back and reached out to shake Sasha awake. Just then…

"Mmgh… No! I don't want to eat you!"

"What?!"

Not just Ymir, but the entire room was stunned by the unthinkable words coming from Sasha's mouth.

"Wh… What kind of dream is Sasha having right now?!"

******

A few hours earlier, the recruits were preparing their own dinner.

"…Hey, are some of the steamed potatoes missing from here?"

"Hunh?! I-I don't know anything about that! Definitely not about anyone snacking on them…"

Potatoes had disappeared from the stove that Sasha was suppose to be keeping an eye on. Tasked with overseeing the day's meal preparation, Jean grabbed Sasha by the ear.

"I knew it was you, potato girl! You're such a glutton!!"

Next to them, Connie put his hands together while his eyes sparkled like he had just had a revelation.

"Hey, what about this?! Maybe Sasha was a Titan in a past life!"

"I-I can't believe you'd say that! Of course I wasn't!" Sasha desperately tried to deny it. Jean let go as he continued to scold her.

"If you weren't, then stop grabbing everything you see and shoving it into your mouth like some kind of Titan!"

"L-Like I said, I didn't eat them! …Just the top one."

"So you did eat them! Ugh, someone keep an eye on Sasha!!"

"What? But, that's…"

And so, the recruits' table that day was short a few potatoes. But then…

******

After Sasha went to sleep that night…

"Nnh… Unngh… Huh? Where am I…?" Sasha woke up with her head heavy in her hands, not recognizing that she was in a dream. "Everyone…? Where are you…? Aahh!"

She was looking out from high above the ground. It reminded her of the times she'd flown 15 meters up with the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment.

And then, just below her…

"Whoa! Sasha's turned into a Titan!"

"Run away! She'll eat us!"

"N-No! You don't understand, I…" Sasha tried to explain as she reached out, but her fellow recruits ran for their lives from Sasha Titan. And then…

"Huh…? Why does everyone… look so tasty…?"

The humans began to stimulate her hunting instincts as they ran and scattered. It was as if they were prey.

"Mmgh… Want to eat… Eaaat…"

Shlurp. Drool ran down her chin.

Sasha reached out with her giant hands and caught one of the soldiers trying to get away.

"Aah! No, Sasha!! Stop!"

When she looked at the soldier's face, it belonged to someone who was always kind to her. Krista--

"Mmgh… No! I don't want to eat you!"

She lost consciousness.

******

"Huh?!"

Sasha jolted awake to see the concerned faces of her fellow recruits gathered around her. It was almost time to get up already.

"Oh, she's up…"

Sasha saw Krista smiling in front of her eyes and grabbed onto both of her shoulders, shaking and shivering.

"I-I… I'm human, right?! A human like all of you, one who eats bread and potatoes and carrots, right?!"

"Wh-What're you saying, Sasha?"

Sasha breathed a sigh of relief and told them about the dream she just had.

"…If anything, though, I'd just call it stupid."

Sasha looked down at her hands, dejected.

"I… No matter how hungry I got, I'd never eat any of you…"

"Don't worry… If you ever tried, I'd slice you up until you stopped."

"Eek!"

Mikasa was watching the scene like it was all nonsense, and Sasha began to shake once again at her words.

"In any case, it was just a dream. Don't worry about it."

While Ymir may have sounded rough, her words showed she cared. Sasha raised her head and nodded.

"Yes. I'd like to eat tasty things with all of you…as a fellow human."

"…Yeah. As a fellow human."

A bell rang to signal it was time to get up.

As Sasha savoured the joy of getting to be with her fellow soldiers, she started her day by thinking about what might be for breakfast

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

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Good Night, Dear and Sweet Dreams Vol. 10 Mikasa Ackerman

"…You don't smile, do you, Mikasa?"

In the few moments at the Survey Corps* barracks before sleep, Sasha tilted her head and stared at Mikasa.

"It's not like I'm doing consciously."

"Why not try making the biggest smile you can, just once? Like this, a big old grin!" Sasha said, sticking fingers into both sides of Mikasa's mouth and forcing it to go as far as it could. Before Mikasa could brush her arms away, Annie mumbled something as she passed by.

"Keep it up and you're getting sliced."

"Eeek!"

Sasha pulled her hands back in a hurry.

"We all have our own times when we feel like smiling. Why don't you leave her alone?" Annie continued.

"I know, but…"

When we feel like…smiling…

As Mikasa wiped her mouth, she thought about her facial expressions.

******

It's true…I feel like I rarely laugh out loud, too, but…

It was after lights out now, but Mikasa's mind continued to be occupied with what just happened as she stared at the ceiling.

When did that start…?

While it never got in the way of her training, there did seem to be something different about it now that it had been specifically pointed out. You could simply call it being asocial if you wanted to, but Mikasa had never thought of herself in that Wai.

I feel like…I was different as a child…

With her mind tired and unfocused from training, she muttered the following and closed her eyes.

"…When…did I smile…?"

******

"Mikasa. Help out with the vegetable harvest, okay?"

Mom!

The bright sky stretched to the horizon. Mikasa knew immediately that she was a child because of her low vantage point. The young Mikasa wore a straw hat and a dress.

She heard a nostalgic voice call out to her.

"Look what I got. We're having poultry tonight."

"That's amazing, Ackerman."

My father, and…Mr. Yeager?

She was at home with her parents, but when she saw the people whose care she would later come under, Mikasa felt that something was strange.

"Hey, Eren! You just nibbled on dinner, didn't you!"

"Ow! Why would you hit me over that?"

Eren! And Mrs. Yeager, too.

Mikasa found it even more strange when she looked back toward the fields, but it was a joyful sight nevertheless. The people who loved and cared for her were living their regular lives.

"Heh heh… I think it's fine, it shows he's an energetic boy."

"Hehe…"

Her father's laughter was contagious, and Mikasa found a laugh coming from her mouth, too.

"What's your problem, Mikasa? Why are you laughing when people are getting mad at me?!"

"Hehehehe… Well, it's just…!"

A broad smile appeared on the face of the pure girl as she laughed with everyone, still ignorant of the smell of blood and the cruelty of the world.

It'd just that my whole family is here!

******

"…Hey, get someone who's good at drawing, we need a portrait of this."

"Really, Ymir? Mikasa's right in the middle of having a nice dream. There's still some time before we have to get up, so just leave her alone."

Mikasa slight grin was visible on her sleeping face. The others looked on in surprise as they whispered to one another.

"That must be a really nice dream. Maybe it's about meat."

"She's not you, Sasha."

"But that's the kind of expression anyone would have when they see their favorite thing, right?"

"Her favorite thing, huh… I wonder what that might be."

The answer to that question could only be found in the girl's dreams and her heart. As the sun's rays began to make their way into the barracks, they slowly began to wipe away her brief, blissful fantasy.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

*There might be a little error here by the Official Translator, Ko Ransom. The Fan Translation by Yusenki [ LINK ] translated the word as "Cadets' Domitary" and the presence of Annie shows that this story occurs during their Training Corps days.

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Good Night, Dear and Sweet Dreams Vol. 13 Carla Yeager

Dinner had ended, and it was time for the children to go to sleep.

"Ow! Don't be so rough, Mom!"

"Then stop being so unruly. You're the one who got in a fight before coming home! We need to disinfect this."

Carla was holding her son down and tending to his scratches, lumps, and split lips.

"Eren… Let's hurry up and finish this so you can go to sleep."

"I said it hurts! I'm talking to you, too, Mikasa!"

The sting of the disinfectant made Eren flail, and so Mikasa was helping to hold him down.

Once they'd finally covered him in bandages, the girl took Eren with her and told the Yeagers, her surrogate parents, that they would be going to sleep.

"Good night…Mr. Yeager, Mrs Yeager."

"Yes, good night. …You too, Eren."

"…Good night."

The children headed back to their bedrooms, Eren's face swollen while Mikasa's was as expressionless as ever.

******

"I wonder if he needs to be a little more careful," Carla grumbled to her husband now that the two of them were alone. The mild-mannered father of two stayed calm as he replied.

"…You heard about when Eren saved Mikasa, right? He's a brave and kind boy."

"Even then! He was just a child, but took on thieves all by himself. When I think about what could had happened if he made one wrong step…"

Grisha looked at his easily stressed wife with a serious expression.

"I made sure to scold him for that. We should just be watching over him right now."

"But…"

"Eren is a strong-willed boy. I'm sure he'll learn some day how to protect others. And how to protect himself."

"I'm worried because of the odd directions that will of his goes," Carla sighed.

"All children eventually leave the arms of their parents. To worry any more than is necessary is like to pluck the wings from a bird trying to leave its nest. Now come on, let's head to bed, too."

The lights in the Yeager's home in Shiganshina District went out at last.

******

"I'm home…Mom."

Carla was in a dreamlike world as saw her son, now much taller. She was happy and excited as she let him into the house. Mikasa was there, too, and she had grown to be a fine woman.

"I'll make dinner, Mrs. Yeager… You just take it easy."

It was a mother's modest dream. Eren had grown to be a helpful member of society like his father, Mikasa confidently supported him, and Carla was able to see it all and rest easy in her old age.

"That would be great. You'll be staying the night here, won't you?"

As they sat at the table, now lined with food, the mature Eren replied.

"No, I have work again right after this. Things are busy."

"Oh, you're just like your father…"

From there, Eren and Mikasa put their hands on the front door.

"What?!'

A bright white light filled the space behind the opened door. The two children she once knew left to go somewhere she could not reach.

"Ah…"

"Bye, Mom."

Carla unconsciously reached out before covering her mouth.

…Please don't go.

******

Carla woke to find herself in the same bedroom as always. It was clear and sunny outside, the perfect day for laundry. Could her dream have been because of the sun making its way into her room?

All children…eventually leave the arms of their parents.

She knew it was true, but that did nothing to dispel her wish of keeping them in her arms forever. If she couldn't, the least she wanted was to be able to say goodbye in a way she could be happy with.

"I really do worry too much, don't I…?" Carla muttered to herself as she got out of bed, believing that the light she saw in her dream was the bright future in store for her children.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

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Good Night, Dear and Sweet Dreams Vol. 06 Marco Bott

The brilliant music played as confetti filled the air. MP's dressed in full uniform both on foot and horseback formed columns, surrounding a luxurious carriage as they marched forward.

"Long live the King!"

"Look! The Military Police Brigade is coming through!"

The people's voices reverberated through the air. Marco looked out toward the town upon his horse in one of the columns.

"I'm so proud. I've been given the mission to protect the King."

"Haha! Being the center of attention isn't half bad, either."

Jean was on the horse next to him. Yes--they had both become MPs…

"You need to take this seriously, Jean."

"Yeah, I know. Ever the model student, aren't you, Marco?"

******

During a free moment between training when the recruits were heading toward their next gathering spot, Jean walked up to Marco, as usual.

"What's going on, Marco? You look like you're in a good mood."

"There was an article in this morning's paper that said the King held a parade in the capital. I wish I could've seen it," Marco answered with cheer in his voice. Armin grimaced as he followed behind them and spoke.

"…The same newspaper had an article about small disputes breaking out over food. The parade is just a show meant to distract us."

"You don't have to put it that way, Armin!"

"Stop it, you guys," Eren said. He was with Armin and now played the role of mediator for a change. "All of this is happening because the Titans stole our land. Humanity's problems are never going to be solved unless we exterminate the Titans."

"The King…is doing his best, given the situation."

"I don't mean to say your loyalty to the crown is wrong. I'll just become a Survey Corpsman and exterminate the Titans, and you can become an MP and defend the King. That'll solve everything, right?"

As Eren accepted his squadmates' dreams and brushed aside their differences of opinion, Armin still stood next to him in thought.

"Will humanity really be saved…by just defeating the Titans?"

"It's fine, Armin. Let's go."

And so their conversation was brought to an end. But…

******

Marco was there at the parade for the King he respected and loved as a member of the Military Police Brigade, a position he revered. It should have been a pleasant dream.

"Waaahhh… Daddy…"

A child…and they're crying?

"…That child became an orphan because of the reclamation plan the Royal Government forced upon the people."

"What?!"

Marco thought he heard someone's voice and turned around to face it.

"That was…"

The scene around him grew more and more hazy as the cheers became distant. Neither the Military Police nor the King rode alongside him now.

"Marco. Aren't there people other than the King you should be protecting with your power?"

"That voice… Is that you, Eren…?"

Shinning under a fluttering cape were--

The wings…of freedom.

The scene changed completely into a strange mixture of city and rural plains. He could hear the rumble of what might have been footsteps, as well as cries for help.

Who is it…that I should be protecting …?!

******

"Mmgh… I…"

"I said wake up, Marco!"

Marco was shaken awake.

"…Huh? Jean? What about the parade…?"

"Hm? What're you talking about?"

Marco got up to see that he was in the training barracks, as usual.

"…Sorry. I was having a dream."

"Oh. Yeah, you were groaning in your sleep. Was it a nightmare?"

"…I don't know."

He could clearly recall the dream.

But…I'm serious about wanting to become an MP…

Marco looked down, unable to fully process his feelings of almost losing his adoration for the position he had so longed for.

Why would I dream that?

"Anyway, hurry up. You don't want to give up your chance to become an MP all because you were tardy, right?"

"Y… Yeah. I know."

The boy's uncertainty sank into the bottom of his heart, still fully formed.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

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Good Night, Dear and Sweet Dreams Vol. 11 Connie Springer

Letters had arrived for the recruits who now strived to become soldiers from families concerned about the dangerous and harsh training their children faced. Today it was Eren's turn to deliver them.

"Hey, Jean. Mail for you…"

"Sh-Shut up! Throw it away!"

"C'mon, take it," Eren said, not taking no for an answer and forcing the letter on him. He headed toward Connie with another envelope next.

"Another one for you, Connie. From your mom."

"Heh, it's because I told her about the good marks I got on the practical skills test the other day. I bet this is her reply."

In contrast to Jean's backlash against his parents, Connie received his family letter with sincere joy.

******

"So Sunny and Martin are both doing good… I'm glad to hear that," Connie said, breathing a sigh of relief after finishing the longer letter from his mother.

"You get a lot of letters from your family, too, don't you, Connie? Is your mom the worrying type?" Eren asked. Mail never came for him, and there was a hint of longing in his voice.

"No. Everyone in my village used to make fun of me. But I was a genius… My mom was the only one who recognized that and supported me. Heh heh," Connie happily continued as he rubbed his nose. "So when I let her know that I got good marks, she was so happy she sent me a letter."

"Hah. It must be nice to be so dumb and simple that your parents praising you is enough to make you happy."

The pointed words came from Jean, who looked embarrassed as he crumpled up the letter from his mother. Eren approached him.

"You're the dumb one, Jean. In this world, you never know when you're going to lose contact with your family for good."

"Huh? Are you trying to brag about how sad your life is, Eren? Listen, I…"

"Stop it. Eren not wrong… What Connie's doing is great. I think I might write a letter to my family soon, too."

Jean only shut his mouth with a hmph in reply to Marco's reserved intervention.

Connie carefully folded the letter into his pocket as they talked.

******

That day, he had a dream of his home. Ragako Village, a small hamlet consisting of a line of homes in the middle of the flat plains.

"I'm back! It's me, Connie! I'm home!"

Connie stood in front of the front door to his house, knocking. The village was strangely quiet.

…Hm?

Normally, his voice would be enough to make his little brother or sister come flying out of the door.

They've grown up, too… I guess they're not kids anymore.

He put his hand on the door and pushed it opened it himself.

For some reason, no one was in the small, warm home.

"Heeey! Dad! Mom!"

Thoom.

The sound sent Connie's heart racing. He went straight to the back door and opened it, only to see a gigantic shadow--

******

"A Titan?!"

"…Huh?"

As Connie bolted awake, his nearby corpsmates, still half-asleep, talked to him.

"Oh… So even idiots have dreams," Jean teased. Connie wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Yeah… I am an idiot. That was a dumb dream."

Connie fumbled through his personal belongings to make sure that the letter was still there. It was proof that his mother--that his family--was okay.

…What Eren said made me imagine something weird… It's easy to be influenced by people when you're as stupid as me.

Connie recalled the empty village he saw in his dream and shivered.

I'll never let that happen. I'm going to rise up the ranks…and I'm going to protect my family and my village.

As he squeezed his eyelids closed, a single tear came running out. Whatever it was one of fear or one of determination, Connie didn't know.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

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Good Night, Dear and Sweet Dreams Vol. 08 Jean Kirstein

It was a restless night.

"Jean. …Jean. Are you up?"

"Hm? Yeah…"

Jean turned over in his bed and stuck his head out of his blankets. He saw the same barracks as always.

The quiet voice continued to call him.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

"I was up… I couldn't sleep. What about you? It's rare for you to be up."

"Well, it happens every now and then."

"What happened…Marco?"

******

"It's not like anything in particular happened, but… You know, we went through a lot in Trost District."

"You're right. Who knows how it could have turned out if it wasn't for Armin's plan and that suicide bastard's powers," the voice chuckled.

"You did a lot too, Jean. If it wasn't for your orders when our supplies got cut off, Mikasa would have been eaten after charging toward that Titan by herself."

"That was…just something I decided I needed to do. It could have just as easily been you."

"But you were the one who ended up doing it in reality," the voice replied. It was as soft and kind as it could be.

"I know you'll make a good Survey Corpsman, Jean."

"Huh? If you're saying that, then what about you? You'd--"

What was he going to do?

Jean tried searching through his foggy mind to recall where his kind conversation partner was going to go.

******

He felt a prick in his heart.

Marco… That's right, an MP…He's going to become an MP.

"Well, I--"

"Oh, I know. You're going to be an MP, right? You've always been saying that. Go out there and protect the King, I know you'll be able to do it."

Jean continued to speak in rapid succession, trying to get out every word he could without so much as waiting for a response. It was as if they were chains that would tie down the man he spoke to, keeping him from leaving.

"Jean."

"It's okay, I guarantee you'll rise up the ranks, and you'll be able…to…live…a safe life in the Interior …"

Jean began to gasp what was happening…

But he also knew that a full grasp on the situation would bring an end to this warm discussion. A shiver ran through his entire body. The barracks seemed to distort before his eyes.

"No, don't go yet."

Jean reached out in the direction he spoke, but it was no good. He didn't want to believe it, he wanted this to be his reality, it should be reality--

"…I wish we could keep talking. But…"

"No, don't disappear! Marco, you idiot!!"

******

Jean leapt awake, drenched in sweat. The feeling of perspiration dripping onto the tip of his nose made it undeniable that this was reality.

"Dammit…!"

He cursed his still-shaking hands and grabbed one wrist with his other hand, forcing the tremors to stop. There was a dim brightness outside, and everyone around him still slept quietly. They would be asked what branch of the military they wanted to join today. The others must have been up until late struggling with the question before falling sound asleep.

The empty beds stood out in particular--those of their fallen corpsmates. And among them…

"Marco… Why… Why did you have to…"

Though Jean hung his head, he did not cry. He could hear someone inside of his heart telling him to hold his head high.

"…That's right. I made a decision. My will…is going to choose what I need to do now."

Jean clenched a determined fist in the barely lit barracks. He felt as though the afterglow of his warm dream pushed him onward.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories.

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Shelter from the Rain Vol. 12 Eren Yeager & The 104th Training Corps

They had no choice but to cancel the training march once the rain began to fall that afternoon.

The endless downpour robbed them of any visibility, the cold air hastened their horses' fatigue, and the softened ground limited their Vertical Maneuvering. The recruits had no choice but to pitch tents on high ground and set up camp.

Eren stood under the tent and sighed as he lifted the hood of his rain gear.

Damn… We could've gone farther if only it was clear out.

The sky should have been dyed crimson by the setting sun, but it was now covered by thick rain clouds, allowing dusk to sneak up on them faster than expected.

"Eren… You're going to get cold like that."

Mikasa walked up to the boy's side and looked at him. At about the same time, Reiner called the two over.

"Hey, you guys help build the fire, too!"

When Eren looked around, he saw everyone going about their own business.

******

"Sheesh. Whose fault is it that it's raining like this, Bertolt?"

"Is… Is it my fault?"

"Hunh? It's your fault?!"

Jean, Bertolt, and Connie were busy chatting and cracking jokes as they threw logs onto the bonfire.

"Come on, now. No one's to blame for the weather," Marco said with a forced smile, stirring a pot full of food. As soon as Jean noticed Eren walking over, he began to badmouth him.

"Ugh, we would've been able to set up a better campsite if only that suicide bastard hadn't charged forward all on his own."

"We might have even been able to hunt some meat!"

"Do you really think we'd be able to hunt in this rain?"

"…Ugh."

Ymir shot down Sasha's off-the-mark joke with a serious reply as Annie let out a bored sigh. Next to them, Krista was briskly preparing bread for everyone in the camp.

"Here you go, Armin. This is for you guys."

"Thanks. Here you go, Eren," Armin said. After being handed the bread from Armin, Eren looked around once more.

…It was so lively.

All these people around… I don't think I was ever in a situation like this…until I signed up to be a soldier.

******

The rain incessantly pounded against the tent.

When I was little… I think I was only ever with Mikasa and Armin.

Eren never got along well with other children. It wasn't until he became a recruit that he was together with others his age the way he now found himself.

While Eren had a strong competitive spirit, he never isolated himself in these situations. Even if he got in an argument and began to fight with another recruit, there was always someone there to step in and mediate.

"Food's ready. All of you better eat up."

Reiner poured everyone soup as Marco and Krista passed it out.

I used to think all that mattered was getting strong and defeating Titans… But it was here that I learned I can't do it alone.

******

"What's the matter? It's going to get cold."

"Oh! …It's nothing."

Mikasa tapped Eren's shoulder as he was lost in thought. He noticed Jean gritting his teeth, as well as Connie and Sasha watching on and grinning.

In the rain, Eren saw them as reliable friends, people he could trust in.

I wonder if…I'm going to fight alongside them someday. We might be assigned to different branches, but…we're fighting against the Titans no matter where we go in this world.

Even so, he halt he would be able to manage if he was fighting together with them.

While Eren couldn't quite recognize his emotions as trust, the boy continued to quietly think about his future.

SOURCE: Attack on Titan: Short Stories

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There where the sun sets, we can imagine a world where we’ll be free ! 🌅

I recently worked with lot of love on this illustration that is inspired by a scene on the wall from the Rumbling opening (but I added Marco 🤫) ! I wanted to draw this idea for two years, it’s was lot of work, but I think I learnt a lot and it’s so good to see the 104th reunited ! I love them ❤️‍🔥

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Mikasa OAV analysis

I really enjoyed this OAV and so I’d like to give you my thoughts about it.

First of all this OAV follows a circular structure, which is able to connect it with the canon anime series to develope the narrative arc of Mikasa herself.

This is the OAV premise:

Mikasa remembers a dream made that day in Trost when she realized the loss of Eren. That day Eren sacrificed himself for Armin. The Trost arc is the one which presents the narrative flaws of almost all the characters.

And then:

Mikasa is trying to create an alternative reality to avoid Eren’s death, but there’s someone who warns her that there’s no way to stop this cruel destiny. Btw Mikasa has to learn this lesson and this dream will be able to teach her what her real spot in this story has to be.

Despite the reality where Mikasa is totally unable to control the events even if she is so strong here she does. We have many details which point out this fact: whatever she wants she gets, except to stop Eren’s death (which is the only thing she truly wants at the beginning of the series):

Eren is the one we know well, the child who always searched freedom when freedom has an high prize. This prize is what Mikasa tries to avoid controlling the events in her dream, and she is very selfish in this desire because she doesn’t even care about what Eren’s desires are:

a) she stops the wolf before they attack;

b) when she wishes for seeing Eren one more time her mother takes an infection;

c) after she said she doesn’t want that Eren joins the SC this is what happened:

In this scan we can see that whatever Mikasa does there’s nothing she can do to stop Eren’s will, because he has a dream and he carries death within his body.

I think this is a little bit sad because it means that even in a dream Mikasa can’t realize her desires, but it’s also a positive message because what Mikasa desires isn’t sane at all. She needs to kill this part of herself to grow up as a person and to have a true relationship with Eren and this is what she does when she kills her reflection in the mirror (the mirror man).

In the entire OAV there’s a number which is often mentioned:

Eren beats three punches, Mikasa can give the scarf back to Eren in three days and Eren will leave the walls at the third ring of the bell. Moreover we have three walls and the story follows three protagonists. 

Three is the Triad number and the number of the whole as it contains the beginning, a middle and an end. It’s also something circular which divides human as body, soul and spirit. Number three is also associated with communication skills and feelings self-expression.

It has to be a clue for something more. 

Btw, we have to analyze this moment in the OAV:

Mikasa meets the mirror guy who wants to turn her into a murderer when she is running towards Eren. This guy is preventing her to reach the object of her run, but who is him?

We see that he has no face, but he’s just a Mikasa’s reflection. That’s why is Mikasa herself to be prevented from reaching Eren because of a free choice. She is victim of her violence, which she thinks is made for Eren and is useful to be on his side, but she’s wrong.

The violence is the fact which stops Mikasa to reach the object of her desire. It’s not a concidence that the only pure moment in her relationship with Eren is in the season two when she is not able to fight anymore and then she admits to Eren her true feelings. 

Mikasa becomes a murderer for herself to survive making the philosophy of survival as her flag. Btw no matter how fast or strong she is because Eren will leave her behind, and this makes Mikasa suffer but it’s also important for her growth as a character:

In this scan the man in the mirror says that Eren carries death within his body, which seems something connected with the Ymir’s curse. This maybe means that from the beginning to these days Mikasa learns this sad truth and that’s why she has to accept it:

The man in the mirror is she because of this scan, which represents one of the narrative flaws of her character. She thinks the key is the power when the power is the one which doesn’t allow Mikasa to be happy at all, prisoner of this role in such a way. The power is the only answer to the awareness of a cruel world, but she has not to forget that this world is also very beautiful.

Btw even if she tries to create another reality the events are reproposed following an alternative pov, and it means that without them Mikasa would not have come this far and would never have known Eren.

On the other hand in this dream everything seems to start with Eren, when in the reality everything started with a Mikasa trauma that she has to overcome.

Because its circular structure this is the end:

This end is the same of the reality she tries to change.

And because of that Mikasa learns her lesson:

She cant’ stop him, but she can be by his side. I think this not means a total overcoming of her narrative flaws, but it’s important for her development.

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huge aot art dump enjoy (creds to fromriches-tosin for the jean bouncing on it in reiners lowest darkest days)

also u can send requests afjdkjfdk

i want aot mutuals on twitter pls @/carrot_andlemon

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Do you think Drake and Sam both reached for the gun??

Progress photos under the cut